Knitting package



Oct. 20, 1964 R. J. JEWELL ETAL KNITTING PACKAGE Filed July 5. 1962United States Patent O yKNI'FB'QG PACKAGE Randolph Jederson .iev-veil,Eaniel Otis Robbins, rliohann Gross, and Howard Floyd Eisom, Charlotte,NC.,

assignorsy to Ceianese Corporation of America, New

York, NX., a corporation of Delaware Filed duty 5, 1962, Ser. No.2i'7,713 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-159) This invention relatesto warp knittingmachines or the like and more particularly is directed to yarn packagesand their assembly into novel spot beams for use in the manufacture ofRaschel knitwear.

Among the objects of the invention is to eliminate the expensive, timeconsuming beaming operation presently being performed by knitters andthe attending necessity for storing on the knitters premises largesupplies of spot beams containing various numbers and arrangements ofends of yarn for use in knitting specific patterns, such as lace motifs,by providing individual serving tube yarn packages of improvedconstruction, which packages can easiiy and selectively as to number andspacing be assembled on a light weight supporting beam to meet immediaterequirements, which yarn packages shall be pre-wound on uniform cores,said uniform cores being frictionally engageable with adjoining cores orhaving means for interlocking with adjoining cores to effect connectionto each other and turning with the supporting beam, which yarn packagesshall be sized for easy handling and to provide a maximum number of endsof yarn to meet requirements of existing Vknitting machines, whichassembly may include simple, effective and inexpensive spacersparticularly adapted for use between flangeless yarn packages of thecheese type, which beam assembly shall provide improved tension controlof the motif yarns knit into Raschel laces, reducing the occurrence ofbroken ends and entrapment of yarn, resulting in fewer defects in thefabric caused by excessive tension and a more uniform and higher qualitylace product both both structurally and in appearance, and whichassembly shall be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and inpart-hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction,combination of elements and arrangements and assembly of parts whichwill be exemplified in the construction and assembly hereinafterdisclosed, the scope of the application of which will be indicated inthe claims following: i

. in the accompanying drawing in which anillustrative embodiment of theinvention is shown:

FIG. l is an elevational view Vof a spot beam assembly constructed toembody the invention comprising individual uniform yarn packagespre-wound on cheese tubes keyed together with retaining discs andresilient compressible spacers positioned therebetween.

FlG. 2 is a fragmentary View similar to FIG. 1 with the discs andspacers broken away to show the cheese tube keyed interconnection.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front and end elevational views, respectively, of anindividual yarn package removed from the assembly, and f FIG. 6 is anenlarged exploded view of a portion Vof the spot beam of FTG; l showing,respectively, eginning at the left, a fragment of the core of a firstyarn package, a `retaining disc for said package, a resilient spacer, aretaining disc for a second adjoining yarn package and the second yarnpackage showing the cheese tube Withjthe integral universalinterconnecting means.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 16 denotes 1a spot Patented st. 20,1964 rice* beam assembly constructed to embody the invention comprisinga beam 11 on which a series of yarn packages 12,

12 are connected with beam 11 to be substantially rotatyarn retainingdiscs 13 and resilient spacers 14 may be selectively mounted forsupplying a desired number and arrangement of ends of yarn to a knittingmachine (not shown) of the Raschel type.

Beam 11 may preferably be of light weight construction terminating inopposite ends 11a formed for removable mounting on the knitting machineto be driven in any conventional manner. Beam 11,` between ends 11a, maybe of tubular stock having a uniform cross section for slidinglyreceiving yarn packages 12 thereon and have retaining ianges 11badjacent opposite ends 11a, at least one of the flanges 11b beingreadily removable, as by set screw 11j, for mounting and replacing yarnpackages 12.

Yarn packages 12 are preferably of uniform size and shape, seen in FIGS.4, 5 and 6 to comprise a cheese tube or core 15 on which yarn 16 ischeesed helically criss-cross in a manner to provide oppositesubstantially hat, parallel faces 12a. Tube 15, which may be made of anysuitable material, such as wood, pressed fiber, resinous plastic, metal,or preferably cardboard, has a bore 15a sized to snugly slide onto andalong beam 11 and is of a length to project beyond both opposite faces12a apart from each other as is clear from FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, edgeborders 15b may be formed with any suitable engaging means, here shownas alternate projections 15e and recesses 15d which are symmetricallysized and shaped to universally engage with like recesses 15d andprojections 15e, respectively, of adjacent tubes 15.

Yarn retaining discs 13 may be made of any suitable material, forexample, stamped from plastic sheeting, and have central openings 13asized to iit onto tube 15. A disc 13 is mounted to abut each oppositeface 12a. Cooperating with discs 13, in providing means for preventingyarn 16 from sloughing off faces 12a as the yarn 16 is consumed, areresilient spacers 14, each being positioned between discs 13 of adjacentyarn packages 12.

Resilient spacers 14 are shaped to conform substantially to disc 13having central openings 14a sized to it onto tube 15 and may be made ofany suitable material having compressible resilient properties, such asfelt, expanded plastic or rubber foam and the like. Spacers 14 are ofsufficient uncompressed thickness, that is slightly in excess of thedistance between adjacent discs 13 when tubes 15 of adjacent yarnpackages 12 are mutually contacting relationship, to require compressionwhen in assembly on beam 11 between retaining discs 13 thereby servingto resiliently retain discs 13 against faces 12a of yarn packages 12.

Any suitable means may be provided for `connecting cheese tubes 15 torotate with beam 11. As shown in.

FIG. 1, retaining flanges 11b maybe provided with a coupling ring 11e`having alternate projections 11d and recesses 11e for meshing withrecesses 15d and projections 150, respectively, of the adjacent tube 15.YAlternatively, such means may be omitted and substantial rotation ofyarn packages 12 with beam 11 may be effected by frictional engagementbetween the substantially at, parallel opposite faces 12a of the cheesedyarn, retaining discs 13, spacers14 and, when such are used, dummypackages 17 and frictionalengagement between the terminal members ofthis group of elements and contiguous flanges 11b. Theeifecting of suchfrictional engagement Y is, of course, aided by the compressibleresilient propertiesof the spacers. The net result is that yarn packagesable therewith. v ,f The practical utility of the invention will now beapparent. The knitteig having determined-warp yarn requirements as tonumber of ends and spatial arrangement for a particular run mayon-the-spot construct beam assembly by removing one or both of thefianges 11b and sliding resilient spacers 14, discs 13 and yarn package12 onto beam 11 in the sequence shown in FIG. 1. In so mounting, edgeborders b of adjacent yarn packages 12 are brought into interfittingabutment, lwith projections 15c and recesses 15d in full and completeengagement to uniformly compress all resilient spacers 14. Whereknitting requirements dictate greater spacing of yarn packages 172, oneor more dummy packages 17 may be inserted as spacers between yarnpackages 12. AS shown in FIG. 1, such dummy package 17 may include atube or core 18 having opposite borders formed with engaging meansintertting with projections 15e and recesses 15d of tubes 15. Theremoved fiange or flanges 11b are then replaced on beam 11, retainingthe assembly of yarn packages 12, discs 13, spacers 1d and, whererequired, dummy packages 17 in engagement with each other and connectedto rotate with beam 11, the latter now being ready for installation anduse on the knitting machine.

Satisfactory results including versatility of possible beam arrangementsto meet a wide range of knitting requirements have been obtained byutilizing yarn packages 12 of a width on the order of 2% inches betweenopposite faces 12a cheesed on a tube approximately 31/8 inches long andhaving bore 15a sized to iit a 3 inch diameter beam. Yarn packages 12 of2% inch width may have an overall diameter of approximately 5%; inchesto contain about 2 pounds of yarn having one, two or three ends of yarnparallel wound per package to provide up to one hundred ends of yarn perbeam of conventional length. Beam arrangements of this type are mostuseful in knitting the motifs of Raschel lace knit construction.

Where it may be desirable to provide 'for relative slippage between yarnpackages 12 mounted on beam 11, the engaging means of edge bordersilbmay be omitted and the compression on packages 12 exerted betweenflanges 11b adjusted to yield under tension exerted by the knittingmachine on the individual ends of yarn. 't

It will thus be seen that there is provided a warp knitting beamassembly and preformed yarn packages therefor in which the severalobjects Vof the invention are achieved and which are well adapted tomeet the conditions of practical use.

As various other possible embodiments might be made of the aboveinvention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment aboveset forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth orshown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illtistrati'eand not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. A warp knitting beam assembly, comprising a warp beam having anelongated midportion, opposite end flanges for said midportion, at leastone of said flanges being re. movable for access to said midportion, aplurality of individual preformed yarn packages removably mounted onsaid midportion between the end fianges, said yarnpackages each having acheese tube andyarn cheesed vonto the tube providing the package withsubstantially flat, parallel opposite faces, said cheese tube havingopposite edge borl ders extending beyond said faces, said edge bordershaving alternate symmetrical projections and recesses engaging likeprojections and recesses 'of adjacent yarn packages, and divider meansmounted on said cheese tube edge borders between adjacent yarn packagesabutting the opposite faces thereof to provide retaining means for theyarn.

2. The warp knitting beam assembly defined in claim 1 in which saiddivider means includes retaining discs abutting each of the faces ofsaid adjacent yarn packages and a spacer between the discsfor retainingthe latter in said abutment. v

3. A warp knitting beam assembly comprising a warp beam having anelongatedmidportion, a pair of fianges at opposite ends of saidmidportion, at least one of said flanges being removable for access tosaid midportion, a plurality of individual preformed yarn packagesremovably mounted on 'said midportion in a predetermined spatialarrangement between said end anges, each of said yarn packages includinga cheese tube having an axial bore for sliding onto said beammidportion, and means for keying the packages for rotation with saidbeam, said keying means including means formed at opposite ends of eachof Vsaid cheese tubes for engaging like means of adjacent tubes mountedin assembly on the beam.

4. The warp knitting beam assembly defined in claim 3 in which said yarnpackages each includes a cheese tube, yarn cheesed onto said tubeproviding the package with substantially fiat, parallel opposite faces,retaining discs abutting each of said faces, and spacers between thediscs of adjacent packages for retaining Said abutment.

5. A warp knitting beam assembly comprising a warp beam having anelongated midportion, a pair of flanges at opposite ends ofsaid'midportion, at least one of said iianges' being removableforoaccess to said midportion, a plurality of individual preformed yarnpackages removably mounted on said midportion at a predetermined spatialarrangement between said end flanges, said yarn packages each includinga cheese tube, yarn cheesed onto said tube providing a package. withsubstantially flat parallel opposite faces, retaining discs abuttingeach of said faces, and spacers between'discs of adjacent packages,each'of said cheese tubes extending beyond said faces and adjacentcheese tubes being in mutually contacting relationship, said spacersbeing comprised of a material having compressible resilient propertiesand being of uncompressed thickness slightly in excess of the distancebetween adjacent retaining discs when said adjacent cheese tubes are inmutually contacting relationship, said spacers therefore being undercompression in said assembly, thereby resiliently retaining said discsagainst said faces of said yarn packages and effecting frictionalengagement between said package faces and said discs abutting saidpackage faces, and whereby each element of the combination of elementscomprising packages, discs and spacers is pressed together in frictionalengagement with each contiguous element, and, at said opposite ends ofsaid midportion, with said anges, and said yarn packages thereby areconnected with said beam to be substantially rotatable therewith.

6. The `warp knitting beam assembly defined in claim 5 wherein saidretaining discs are comprised of a plastic and saidmaterial of whichsaid spacers are comprised is an expanded plastic.

` References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS837,152 Great Britainj lune 9, 1960

1. A WARP KNITTING BEAM ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING A WARP BEAM HAVING ANELONGATED MIDPORTION, OPPOSITE END FLANGES FOR SAID MIDPORTION, AT LEASTONE OF SAID FLANGES BEING REMOVABLE FOR ACCESS TO SAID MIDPORTION, APLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL PREFORMED YARN PACKAGES REMOVABLY MOUNTED ONSAID MIDPORTION BETWEEN THE END FLANGES, SAID YARN PACKAGES EACH HAVINGA CHEESE TUBE AND YARN CHEESED ONTO THE TUBE PROVIDING THE PACKAGE WITHSUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, PARALLEL OPPOSITE FACES, SAID CHEESE TUBE HAVINGOPPOSITE EDGE BORDERS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID FACES, SAID EDGE BORDERSHAVING ALTERNATE SYMMETRICAL PROJECTIONS AND RECESSES ENGAGING LIKEPROJECTIONS AND RECESSES OF ADJACENT YARN PACKAGES, AND DIVIDER MEANSMOUNTED ON SAID CHEESE TUBE EDGE BORDERS BETWEEN ADJACENT YARN PACKAGESABUTTING THE OPPOSITE FACES THEREOF TO PROVIDE RETAINING MEANS FOR THEYARN.